Chivalry counts when it comes to enforcing law

Published 8:00 pm, Tuesday, July 1, 2008

A recent graduate of Norwalk High School avoided jail time for beating up another man in an apparent act of chivalry.

Tevon Gilmore, 18, will enter the state's accelerated rehabilitation program, a special kind of probation that drops the charges for first-time offenders if they can stay out of trouble. Gilmore's probation will last one year.

On May 7, Gilmore was hanging out with his close childhood friend, Sarah Leavitt of Milford, when he came to suspect that herboyfriend was abusing her. Gilmore allegedly assaulted the other man on the same day and showed him a firearm, which police later determined to be a BB gun.

Norwalk police arrested Gilmore and charged him with third degree assault and second degree breach of peace, both misdemeanors, and one felony count of carrying a dangerous weapon.

In a letter to the court, Leavitt's mother, Paige Thomas-Leavitt, said Tevon "had reason to believe that Sarah had recently been physically abused by her boyfriend ... and his act of chivalry was out of concern and love for a close friend."

Leavitt also sent a letter, saying that her friend made a mistake but deserved leniency.

"Tevon was trying to be protective of me and make sure I was safe, and ... he did what any real and true good friend would have done for another friend," she wrote.

Gilmore's football coach, Pete Tucci, and his pastor at New Vision International Ministry in Bridgeport, Gregory Wigfall Sr., also sent letters of support.

In court, Gilmore apologized, calling his actions wrong and out of character. He promised to change his ways, using football as a metaphor.

"You only need to get hit hard once to know to take a different route," Gilmore said, "and this was a big hit."

Public defender M. Elizabeth Reid said Gilmore was one of the most caring and motivated individuals she'd ever met on the job. She said he intends to play football at Delaware State University in the fall, and she felt he would never be back in court again.

Gilmore's attempt to help Leavitt, "although quite noble, was out of hand on this one particular occasion," Reid said.